It shouldn't have been that close - Strauss
| By Jamie Lillywhite |
England survived a dramatic collapse to salvage a draw in a thrilling finish to the first Test against South Africa.
The tourists resumed on 11-1 needing a distant 364 but two wickets fell in the first 13 overs before Kevin Pietersen and Jonathan Trott calmly shared 145.
But Pietersen (81) inexplicably called for a run and Trott stood his ground.
Trott made 69 before debutant Friedel de Wet struck three times as five fell for 13 but Graham Onions kept out the final over as England closed on 228-9.
Having slumped to 27-3, the fourth-wicket partnership left all results still possible at the tea interval, with 195 needed from the remaining 35 overs.
Even after Pietersen's needless dismissal, Trott's resolute fifty, to add to his century on his debut in the final Ashes Test last summer, looked to have guided England to a comfortable draw.
The South Africans took the second new ball at the start of the final hour almost as a token final gamble, but 29-year-old De Wet, regularly bowling in excess of 90mph, captured 3-2 in four overs.
Slow left-armer Paul Harris took the eighth wicket when Stuart Broad was clearly caught behind, a decision upheld after a replay borne out of sheer desperation, and there were 44 balls of the match remaining.
We played the better circket - Smith
Hero of the first innings Graeme Swann was then trapped plumb lbw by Morne Morkel, the final referral used out of even greater despair and quickly rejected, leaving three overs and one ball for last man Onions to survive with county colleague Collingwood, who made 26 from 99 balls.
The final over was given to Makhaya Ntini, in his 100th Test, but Onions defended resolutely, keeping out one that crept low and would have defeated many a top order player, and England escaped to ensure the series heads to Durban for the Boxing Day Test with the series still 0-0.
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